


Just a stereotype

by Vault_Emblem



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), X-Factor (Comics), X-Force (Comics)
Genre: Communication, M/M, Stereotypes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-07
Updated: 2018-10-07
Packaged: 2019-07-27 17:47:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16224173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vault_Emblem/pseuds/Vault_Emblem
Summary: Fuck you Peter David.





	Just a stereotype

**Author's Note:**

> Hey PD maybe next time you write a bisexual character you do it without the slutty bisexual trope.
> 
> Disclaimer: I’ll just say it now so it doesn’t come up in the comments.  
> Yes, I use hyphens for dialogues and quotation marks for thoughts. Why? Because this is how we do in Italy, the country I’m from (actually there’s more freedom in Italy and more than one method to use this kind of punctuation but whatever).  
> This is the method I’ve learned and the one I’m used to, and I don’t think I’ll even change it.  
> Please, I beg you, stop pointing it out, it’s starting to get really annoying, especially when that’s the only thing people comment about.

Shatterstar knows that there’s something going on when Julio tells him that “they have to talk” without elaborating further.

Whatever it is that he wants to talk about, it surely isn’t something that he wants the others to hear, and Shatterstar, respecting his decision, follows him up the stairs, to their shared room.

 

He tries not to think about what he might want to talk about, because usually it’s not good for him to have expectations about conversations. He’s working on it, but he’s still pretty bad at understanding what people want.

He can tell by how low Julio’s shoulders are as he closes the door behind them and by the way he sighs as he lets himself fall on the bed that this must not be something good.

 

\- Why are you acting like this? -, Julio asks.

\- I don’t understand -.

\- Ok, let me re-elaborate -, Rictor says, with a patience that he thought he had forgotten, but with Star it’s always been like this, hasn’t it?

 

\- The things is, I’m confused -, he begins, - You said you came back for me and you even kissed me, and then you go around flirting and kissing everybody else -.

\- Yes, I do -, Shatterstar states, as blunt as ever.

 

… Wait.

\- Does this upset you? -, he asks, his expression genuinely confused.

\- … A bit -, Julio replies, deciding to be forthright.

\- I am… I am sorry, Julio -, Shatterstar mutters, surprised by that.

He walks to their bed and he sits on it, besides Rictor.

\- I did not think… -.

 

\- Just tell me why -, Julio interrupts him, - Is it my fault? Am I not good enough for you? -.

\- What? Of course you are good enough for me -, Shatterstar exclaims, a weird sight for someone who doesn’t know him well, but not for Rictor.

\- Julio -, he calls him then, resting a hand on the other’s cheek and gently making sure that he’s looking at him, - You are everything to me. Whenever I think about you I feel something very strong inside me that I never felt before. I want to be close to you -.

Julio’s gaze softens and he almost smiles before remembering what they’re talking about.

 

\- Then help me understand, ‘Star -, he mutters, - Why are you going around kissing other people? -.

Shatterstar shrugs, but his expression is still confused.

\- Is that not how you are supposed to understand what you like and what you do not? -, he asks.

 

Ah. So that’s the problem.

 

\- Ok, so this has nothing to do with me and you just want to understand yourself, am I right? -, Julio asks. He’s already understood it but being clear has never hurt anyone, especially when talking about this sort of things.

\- Yes -, Shatterstar confirms.

\- I thought this was the right way -, he adds then, - They always do this on tv -.

 

Ok ok ok ok. Julio understands what the problem is now.

He can’t help but to be relieved that at least Shatterstar wants to be with him.

How could someone want to be with him isn’t something that he can understand, but it feels good to be wanted, especially from Shatterstar.

 

\- ‘Star, remember what I told you about stereotypes? -.

\- More or less -, Shatterstar replies.

\- Well, this thing you’re talking about is a stereotype too -, Julio explains, - If you’re in a relationship with somebody you shouldn’t go kiss or have… sexual intercourse with other people, that’s called cheating and well, there’s this stereotypes that people who like men and women cheat a lot -.

Shatterstar doesn’t say anything but he nods, a sign that he’s understood what Julio has just told him.

 

There’s a moment of silence in which Shatterstar is processing this whole thing. Julio doesn’t say anything, giving him the time he needs.

 

\- Did I upset you? -.

Rictor barely registers Shatterstar voice and he can see that there’s hurt in his eyes. He smiles.

\- Now that I know that you didn’t mean it I feel better, don’t worry about it -, he replies, - Just, next time you want to do something like that, please tell me beforehand -.

\- If it hurts you I do not want to do it anymore -, Shatterstar replies, his voice firm and his eyes determined.

\- I’d appreciate that, thank you -, Julio mutters, grateful.

 

 

\- If this stereotype isn’t true, why do they show it on tv? -, Shatterstar asks.

Julio snorts. Yes, why indeed.

\- It’s the same as what happens to us mutants -, he says then, - People hate what we are -.

\- So they use bad publicity to make us look bad, right? -, Shatterstar concludes for him. He’s pretty familiar with the power of publicity and public imagine.

\- Exactly -, Rictor nods.

 

Shatterstar doesn’t say anything, but it’s obvious that he still has a lot of questions. It’s fine, Julio will help him with this.

\- You don’t have to know everything about yourself now -, he mutters in fact, - You know how long it took me to figure some things out, and I’m still at the beginning. It’s not a race -.

Shatterstar hums.

\- Will you help me? -, he asks then.

\- Of course -, Julio replies, before drawing Shatterstar closer in a sweet kiss.

 

At least things are clear for Shatterstar, and he’s very glad.

If he has to be honest, these past experiences with flirting with people that aren’t Julio have been pretty uncomfortable for him. He doesn’t have the same bond with them as the one he shares with Julio.

He was always tempted to stop, but he thought that this was what people did here. He’s glad to see that it isn’t the case and that he can stop doing this, especially if he was hurting Julio in the process; he’d never do that willingly.

 

Even if it takes a long time for him to figure himself out, at least he can count on Julio’s help.

He wouldn’t ask for anything else.


End file.
